China's Unitree Robotics has slashed its humanoid robot prices sharply, in stark contrast to the industrial robot market, where prices have remained stable, and orders have continued climbing to record highs. The divergence has intensified debate over whether AI robots will first break through via humanoid or non-humanoid models.
Unitree's humanoid robots have recently become remarkably affordable. Some of the company's products listed on the JD.com platform have fallen to a minimum price of CNY9,900 (US$1,462). According to Unitree's prospectus, the average selling price of its humanoid robots dropped from CNY593,400 in 2023 to CNY166,400 in 2025, a decline of 72% over two years.
Unitree's customers remain primarily academic institutions and government agencies, and most products still require secondary development after purchase, leaving the company's footprint in the commercial market relatively limited.
More robot makers in China have launched new products recently, but humanoid robots aimed at consumers — marketed for companionship and entertainment — have seen prices fall rapidly. Some products have dropped below CNY10,000, while others are deployed mainly in specific settings such as live performances. Sources familiar with the robotics industry said the technical barriers in entertainment applications are relatively low, and the market is dominated by Chinese brands. Many companies are using price competition as their primary strategy to win market share and drive shipment growth.
That said, falling consumer humanoid robot prices come with trade-offs in performance. Products in the CNY10,000 range have relatively limited capabilities, and most can only execute simple actions according to preset programs — a far cry from truly general-purpose humanoid robots. Industry insiders noted that the sharpest price declines are concentrated in the most competitive end of the consumer market, particularly performance and service robots.
Industrial demand surges
By contrast, the industrial robot market is moving in a very different direction. As global manufacturers continue to adjust their supply chains, demand for automation has risen noticeably. According to the Japan Robot Association (JARA), a key industry barometer, industrial robot orders in the first quarter of 2026 rose more than 40% year on year, prompting the group to raise its full-year forecast to JPY1.22 trillion (US$7.5 billion) — a record high that reflects sustained global demand for automation equipment. Some upstream transmission component suppliers have even begun raising prices, pushing up costs for finished equipment downstream.
Industry watchers noted that industrial robots face far higher requirements for torque control, precision, reliability, and product lifespan than consumer robots, giving them stronger technical barriers and better pricing support. This applies not only to traditional multi-joint industrial robots, but also to humanoid robots focused on industrial applications, which are consequently less exposed to consumer-market price wars.
Companies noted that when Chinese industrial robot makers enter the humanoid robot field, they tend to target existing industrial application scenarios. In some cases, key transmission components are sourced from Japanese suppliers rather than domestic Chinese vendors, primarily due to better precision and torque performance, as well as greater flexibility in pricing and supply stability.
Two roads diverge
Industry players believe that as the direction of humanoid robot development becomes clearer, the segmentation of application scenarios will deeply shape each company's market strategy. In the long run, humanoid robots serving industrial and consumer markets could gradually evolve into two very distinct product lines and business models.
Article translated by Lily Hess and edited by Jerry Chen
